Packaging machine



Sept. 4, 1951 T, RAPP 2,566,677

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 x INVENTOR: f m Tji eodorza R0990,

P 4, 1951 v T. RAPP PACKAGING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 10, 1948 1 1 M HT TOIENE y.

The gdo re R fl/n/ Sept. 4, 1951 Filed May 10, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Egg.

INVENTOR. Theodore Rapp, 3 BY v 146] 144 9 7 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 4, 1951 'r. RAPP 2,566,677

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1948 '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR:

Tlzgadore Rqpp,

ATTOEIVE y.

Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PACKAGING MACHINE Theodore Rapp, Los An'geles', I Application May 10, 1948, Serial No. 26,071 I 9 Claims. (01. 226 -95) The invention relates to packaging machines, and more particularly to the type of packagin machines known as volumetric packaging machines.

Packaging machines of type stated now in general use have movable measuring tubes, which are either rotated about a common axis, or are reciprocated together, and such machines are generally more or less complicated, inefficient or impractical. I

The general object of my invention is to provide a simplified, highly efficient, and practical volumetric packaging machine for accurately measuring and packaging dry, free flowing material, such as grain and the like.

A more particular object is to provide a, packaging machine of the character stated embodying stationary measuring tubes in which the material measured is controlled by slide valves.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter as this specification progresses.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the machine of my invention showing the left side and back thereof, but omitting conventional framing members.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a belt conveyor moving filled cans out of the machine past automatically operated stop members acting to position empty cans in the filling position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail showing the withdrawn position of one of a pair of intermittently operated stops holding cans in filling position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of-a part of one of the stop members shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section on of Fig. l drawn to an enlarged scale.

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross section on the line l--! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 8-8 of Fig. l drawn to an enlarged scale.

Fig. 9 is a detail view in perspective and drawn to an enlarged scale of an adjustable sub base.

Fig. 10 is a cross section on the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 7.

. Fig. 11 is a cross section on the line ll-|l of Fig. 8 drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of can controlling means shown in Fig. 2, but with the means in open position. 'Fig'. 13 is a detail plan view to an enlarged scale showing the arrangement of cams operating plate valves controlling the flow of material into the cans. I Fig. 14 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of the operating means shown in Fig. 13.

the line-6+6 Fig. 15 is a perspective view to an enlarged scale of a guide frame for, and in which an upper slide plate valve is mounted.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary plan view to an enlarged scale of a yieldable safety cam construetion. .L

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 16.

-The present invention is particularly directed to the provision of improved charge measuring and can filling elements and operating mechanism therefor, including novel plate valve construction and control means therefor.

Referring now to Fig. 1 the letter A indicates generally a stub hopper into which material from a suppl hopper (not shown) is received to be filled into cans.

The stub hopper A is mounted on a structure generally indicated at B in which are positioned adjustable filling and guiding tubes and associated control means later described. The as: sembly B is mounted by any suitable frame members, not specifically shown since any suitable frame arrangement may be used, over a travel,- ling belt 26', bringing empty cans into position under the filling tubes where they are accurately positioned by means later described, and then transported by the belt out of the machine for top sealing, labelling, or other operations by other machines or by hand.

The stub hopper A is formed, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, to fill six cans at a time positioned two abreast and three rows deep on the travelling belt 26'.

The hopper comprises walls 20 arranged to form an oblong structure mounted on the walls 22 ofv an uppen guide chamber 24 '(Figs. 1 and 6') the floor 26 of which is formed to provide a series of funnel shaped upper guide passages 28 aligned with upper guiding and measuring tubes. In order to relieve the pressure acting downwardly due to the weight of material in the hopper and secure an even flow of the granular material to each funnel shaped opening, down:- wardly sloped baflles 30 are preferably mounted on the longer side walls of the chamber 24 and the upper ends of the opening 28 are shaped as indicated in Fig. 10.

The structure 22 is secured to a base 32 stationarily mounted on the machine frame and having secured thereto the upper ends of upper guide and measuring tubes 34. Base 32 is formed to support a sliding plate valve 36 reciprocably mounted with respect thereto and provided with openings 38 which may be aligned with openings 28 and tubes 34, or may be moved to obturate the openings. It will be noted that the openings 28, as shown in Fig. '7, are spaced so that the openings 38 in the slide valve may be moved completely out of registration with openings 28.

I provide an upper member formed as a rectan gular open frame 42 having depending strips 43 extending along the edges of the openings inthe base in the direction of movement ,of thev plate valve 36 as seen in Fig. 15. Strips '43 may be secured in any suitable manner to;frame ;m embers 42 and the frame 40 secured in anysuitable manner to the base 32.

The supporting frame 40 is arranged to provide :a? slot :for- .theeplate-yalvezfifia andis :provided withigroovessdd below. theplate valve running in the direction of movementpf-l' the :valve 113,6 and across; the frame between rthegopenings, .andi-also between-:the :openings and :the edge of .the frame at the side from which the slide is operated. .Thus, material; Q3r1lhfilbil7h6 edge .of .the openings in the plate valves during movement.there- .of to {closed position maylbe .deflected .into the grooves;instead;of being crushed. .Filling pieces 46;;Eig. 8, fitting. accuratelyjn,:thelgrooves, :are secured; to the underside .of :theslide. at theside specified and are .arranged'rto .accurately .align withlthe edgeof the apparatus-when.. the.. slide is-movedzto. ODSI'LDOSitiOILL thus. pushing any.'ma terial lodged .in the grooves into ;the opening aligned with the upper guide and measuring tubes. 'Thedepthof thegrooves:is formed according -'to :the niaterial to be handled, that is, they would be deeper'for beans or peas than for 1166,. r. v

Guide rods 39 slide in bores formed in frame -4'0 and areseeured at their endsin. bars #4 I A extendingacross the "front and *backmf the upper plate slide valve.

Upper -parts '0--of measuring --guide tubes -34- aresecured 'by their upper ends in alignment with-the apertures in memberlfl in may suitable-manner. j 1

A vertically adjustable-bottom"plate-'52 icarries lower pa'rts 54'ofiguide tu-bes '34-positioned over "openings-i553 I in -the* bottomplate rand -telescoping over 'the'lower :end s' lof the 'upper portions of the measuringguide tubes ED.

The tubes .54 are 'securedin a sub base 55a mounted on plate"52. Bottomgguide tubes'56are secured'to a member 15204 attached;'to.;and below plate-.52, thetubes beinginalignmentwith openings "55 of Lbo'tt'Qm plate :52} andgproject downwardly to immediately "overlie gthe open ends jof cans to be filled and positioned.thereunderby meanslater described.

' The bottom plate assembly ,indic'awdat -58 in Fig. 9 comprises verti'calphamiel' sectionguides 160,.positioned at each. corner'wi'th the open sides facing inwardly and with angle. strips GZsecured to the lower ends'of'th'e g'uidesjiill by 'straps ififl. The bottom plate 52 issecured to.the,inwardly projecting fiange.. of the angle ;.str ips '62. "The vguides-,-.6lJ ateachsideof the machinegare braced accurate parallelism byplates .56 suitably. secured to the guides and each-fis provided with .a. centrally arrangedvertic'alslot .68. The, guides :60 are. also braced :bytransverse bars 61., bored qpe mit as a e-01 uide-101$ e, W plate valve. A rack 70 is secured to the outer .faceqof each plate -56 to extend: parallel .to 1 the slot. ci ctionsil o r nsve seba t of b tw e 4 gage accurately in the upper ends of channel uides 60.

Obviously other suitable construction may be provided to guide the lower or sub base in its vertical adjustment. I I I The stub hopper base "32 'is'supp'orted upon the frame of the machine by angles 12 connected to cross members 73 of the frame.

An adiusting shaft 14 extends across the machine between the rows of guide tubes and is supported in bearings on plates secured to the k the motor.

base .32, ,Shaft 14 has secured thereto gears 16 engaging with racks 10. At one end a knurled hand wheel 78 is secured to the shaft by a pinned sleeve 30. A toothed wheel 82 is secured on the sleeve 80 and a.-1a,tch;'84,;;mounted'for'vertical slidingsmovemel'lt: inz uid s uneuntedr nx la efli isaprovidedrwith teethzafizat ts ower-end; ed to engage between the teeth of wheel 82 to hold thegshaft .14 in;adius edrqsiticnl beeraisedn kIlOb :88 projectin i l mfal he 311. 93 .1 rtion 29 the latch. v

AllowQl'fjp agt eral ve 1 ident ca w th erase plate valve and provided with front andhack rs QBQan aQQb-is ount d ina s othes base-zeta u dert-he pw z nds ofthewe gguid tubes 54. 7

qPreferably adjustable -;stgps al; ,(Fig; 7) {are fitted to the bars gllla and llflbof lo wer;.slide .90 toeontact-hthe frontan 'bac gesgof supbase 55113-50 :that @t e cnemnssl niit u lide-tva v mey be l'zbrought. into exact re stry; th .t ieesui de tubes. nsimila-r s ps, lsh wma e fitted the-upper'valve- The eup ena d owe g-plat lva ves are ved in. opposite 1;directiQ .;ls;-so that; the jlOWQI BIldS -of .theguideztubesare clos d :nnner nd are open and vice versa. The uplQQ lalvegis first opened, thelQiver-.Va1:ve beinaolnsedfqr a len of time. sufiicient: to completely ifi 1l;.-; 6% ing. ztubes, :and .is .thenasnapped.shilt; 1; immediately thereafter the lower valve is snapped open and remains. open until themeasuringiu es. Ei completely. emptied, after :which .the: lower va ve is shut .and :the'iippemvalvehagain iopened, gthus commencing'ia 'lnew. filling cycle; {The actuating means for thus operating athetvalves will .znow .be described.

-An electric motor 92 (Fig..=;1.4). is .-.arranged.; at the side of the --machine oppositeafrom theebelt ZBythe-f-rarning- 0f the-mach-ine being extended tat-his side as shown in Fig. :8: to pro'vide..-support for various operati-ng elements driven :by

Referring *to Fig =14 -the mOt0l 9Z thro-ugh suitable gearing-"94 -rotates--a-vertical shaft-96 suitably supported in the machine -frame and having a' gear 3:8 'fast-on theupperend*thereof. Gear. 9.8 meshes 'with'a gear tilil of-equal diameter fast on a. shaft Hi2 extending parallel-with shaft '96. Bothgshafts will"therefore rotate, at the same speedbutinoppo'site directions shaft 86 .counterclqqkwise. On shafttfi are. fixed a lower cam ended arm lM'and an upper cam endedarm l0 6,.whi1e,.on-shaft 10 ar xe a l w rca .ended arm 1' wfigr tat ns injtnesame plane as cam IM and an.,upper. cam,., ended,arm lfllrotating in the,same ,plane, as ,carn T06. ,Betweenlshafts 96 and .!.02.. a.,Ver t ,-Ca1shaft I |,2 ,is arranged in :brackets 1L4 .gand' H5 projectin from the frame members on whichlshaftsesli and 102 aresupported.

As me tlv a l a how uEi 'g sl we lever H6 is fixed on shaft H2 in the plane of cams I04 and I08 and an upper lever H8 is fixed in shaft H2 in the plane of cams I06, IIO. Levers H6, H8 carry rollers II1'and H9, respectively, are engaged by the cams. The lower lever II6 will be moved by cam I04 in clockwise direction to open the lower plate valve 90, while the upper lever H8 will be moved in counterclockwise direction by cam I It to close the upper slide plate. To prevent damage to slide valve 30 in the event that an obstruction, such as a stone, gets caught in the upper openings of the base, cam IIO, Fig. 16, is provided with a yieldable engaging portion IIOa pivoted at H011 and resiliently held in operative position by a spring 00, which will permit the engaging portion H011. to yield and slip by lever IIB should it encounter heavy resistance.

It will be noted that cams I04 and I06 on shaft 06 are arranged at an angle in the direction of their rotation. Such that a dwell between the actuation of the upper and lower plate valves is provided for and cams I08, IIO are similarly arranged on shaft I02. The cams may be adjusted to operate the valves as previously described. The plate valves 36 and 90 will, therefore, remain in the discharge position until cam I06 engages arm II8 to open upper plate valve 36 and cam I00 engages arm I I6 to close the lower plate valve 90.

The movement of the lever H6 is transmitted to the lower side plate valve 90 by link I20 and movement of lever II8 to the upper slide plate valve 36 by link I22. The links I20 and I22 are pivoted at one end to an end of the pivoted levers operating them and link I22 is pivoted at its other end to bracket I23 secured to the members carrying the slide plate valve 36, but link I20 is connected to a sleeve I2I sliding on a vertical rod I2 I a held by a yoke I2 Ib secured to the frame of lower valve plate 90. The described construction enables the lower slide valve to be raised and lowered with the sub base without affecting the operating means for the slide.

The drive for the belt 26' may be taken from the motor 92, a clutch being arranged in any suitable manner to enable the drive to be transmitted after the belt has been put into operation, or as preferred by a separate motor (not shown) and a chain drive I24 indicated in Fig. 1. The direction of the cans is shown by the arrow. The usual front and back rollers or pulleys and supports for the top run of the belt are omitted for clearness.

In order to properly space the cans, a longitudinal spacer I26 is fixed to the lower face of the bridge spacer I28 holding the sides I30, extending along the belt in spaced relation.

The spacer I26 operates to position the cans under the end tube guides, the cans being arrested in this position for the time required for the filling operation by the means now to be described.

A pair of vertically extending stop members I32, I33, is mounted on a separable stop carrier I34 arranged above the belt 26. The stop carrier is formed in two halves mounted for parallel movement toward and away from one another by a pair of rods I36, I31 extending through bores in the carrier members and supported in a frame I38 mounted on the machine frame beyond the can filling position.

The stop carrier members are urged toward one another by springs I40, mounted on the rods I36, I31 and under compression between thestop cagrier members and the faces of the frame I3 A slot I42 is machined equally in the meeting faces of the carrier members and a cam I44, shown in detail in Fig. 11, is positioned in .the slot. The cam I44 is preferably formed as a short length of heavy bar having pivots I46 extending downwardly therefrom, on which are mounted rollers I48, I49. When the cam extends longitudinally of the cam slot, carrier members I34 are'in contact with one another and the stop plates I32 carried thereby are positioned. in the path of the cans and hold them in filling position, the belt 26-sliding under the bottom of the cans. When the cam is rotated into a position substantially perpendicular to the carriers, the latter with the stop plates are forced apart so that the stop plates are moved clear of the cans as shown in Fig. 4. The cam I44 is mounted on a vertical cam shaft I50, carried in a bore affording a bearing in a framing member I52, and through a bore, affording an outboard bearing, in a Z bracket I54 secured to the top of the framing member I52.

In order to intermittently rotate the cam shaft I I provide a pivoted lever I56, Fig. 8, mounted on a vertical shaft I58 mounted in a vertical bearing on a frame member I59. One end of lever I50 is provided with a roller I60, and the other end of the lever is provided with a chain-wheel segment I62. Roller I60 is arranged in the plane of rotation of, and to be intermittently engaged by, a "can stop and release cam I64 secured to an arm I66 mounted on shaft I02 (Fig. 14) Obviously any suitable form of cam may be provided giving a rapid change from one radius, which will move the lever I56 in one direction and hold it, this operation of the lever causing opening of the can stop plates I32 and permitting belt conveyor 26 to move the filled cans from under the machine, and a rapid change to a lesser radius, which will leave the lever I56 free to return under resilient pressure to initial position. A bumper I66 is mounted on frame member I52 to limit and cushion the return of the lever I58 to initial position.

A length of chain I68 is secured to chain-wheel segment I62 and is secured to a second chain seg-. ment I10 secured on cam operating shaft I50. A lever I12 (Fig. 8) is pivoted on a plate I14 and bears with one end against a roller I16 mounted; atthe end of a crank arm I18 secured at the;- upper end of cam operating shaft I50, the lever I12 being pressed against the roller by a spring I arranged under compression between the other end of lever I12 and an abutment I82 extending upwardly from plate I14. Since the movement of the arm I18 necessary to rotate shaft I50 to bring the cam I44 from one position to the other is only one quarter revolution, the crank arm engages the lever only toward the end of the opening movement to move the cams from the dead center position assumed when perpendicular to the carriers I34.

Operation In operating the machine the drive for the belt first is switched on or put into operation, and the operator feeds cans onto the belt, then seeing to it that the can stop plates are in can arresting position so that the cans are in contact with one another in the filling position before the machine is. put into operation. When the machine is put into operation, the cam controlling the can arresting stops is not actuated until thesguide' andemeasuringrtubes have .firstibeen completely filled and then emptied into the ca before it operatessto :relea'sethe cans. L

Thesmain supply .ihopper may be filled-inzany suitable .manner,; this -elementvforming .no part of thepresent invention. R'When the. machine is put into operation andxmaterial is fiowinginto the; hopper, the upperslide splateivalve will bex-held' open .:for .a predeterminedxperiod, the lower plate valve. .xbeing closed. The .open slide valve-will then :close; .afterzwhich the. cam operating the lower-slideplate valve-opens that valve. The lower plate .valve remains-:open for .a-periodwvhile six canszaire-filled and the lower plate :valve :is then closed, the ;cam operating the can arresting mechanism v.thenxoperating rapidly .to re.- lease ;the-filled-:cans,-: the cam holding the stop plates iopenetowpermit three cans to pass before allowing'the ic-an stop plates .to snap back' into position to stoplempty cans in the filling position.

(The adjustable measuring tubesyin thetdescribed embodiment .of the invention, enable .a variation of about-50% win the capacity .of the cans handled to be provided for, this variation being .due :tochange in height, but not in diameternof the canstozbe filled at one setting.

Preferably the machine is provided with electric .switcheswindicated .at it; Fig. having pivotedzarms 186 resiliently urged toward a position. inwardly .-of the walls I 30 extending along the sides oflthegconveyor .belt 26. The switches arearrangedaatethe filling station and are pressed outwardly by the cans if properly located at the filling station, but'if not so located the inward movement of the arms operate-through any suit.- able means to interrupt .the action of the filling mechanismpthus preventing waste of material and providing automatic switching-off ofthe ma;- chine when a batch of .cans has been filled.

As {before stated the .machine is built to specification and the described construction is applicable to a wide range of granular products. It will :be seen "that the '.-machine can be readily taken apart for thorough cleaning from time to ti-mezas usually required .by the sanitary code of most localities and by the use of oil impregnated bearings .nooil can .workzinto .contact with the material-ibeing handled. Obviously any type of self supporting can can be used'with the machine .whether-of waxed paper, cardboard or metal.

I claim:

:1. A packagingemachineincluding: a station ary hopperxhaving :a bottom formed with a .pluralityzzof spaced openings; downwardly extending telescopicimeasuring and delivery tubes, each havingone elementsecured in alignment with o-neof said openings; a :vertically adjustable plate mounted below said-hopper and supporting lower elements of saidtelescopic delivery -tubes; means for adjusting-the vertical position of said plate; a first platevalve mounted above the-upper ends of said tubes and below the spaced openings in the bottom of the hopper anda-secQnd plate valve mounted below the lower ends of the measuring tube elements carried by said adjustable plate; a pair of parallel shafts rotated at the same speed; a first cam secured on one shaft and arranged in the'same plane as a second cam secured-on-theother shaft; athird cam mounted on the same shaft as thefirst cam but spaced therefrom; a fourth cam mounted on thesame shaft asthe second cam and in the same plane as the third cam; a rigid-member moved back and forth by said-firstand second cams and connected to the-first-plate valve; and .a rigid. meniber moved back'and forth vrbysaid third and fourth cams and connected to 'the second plate valve, said cammeans being-arrangedso that the upper valve is moved to open and then toshut position before the lower valve is opened and does not again operate the upper plate' valve until the lower plate valve has been closed; a conveyor belteifecti-ve to carry empty cans into" position-to be filled; -'-can stop means effective to hold saidoans stationary-at filling position during the can filling operation and to release them to be transportedout of saidposition when filled; a canstop and release cam secured-on one of said parallel shafts; and means actuated by said latter cam to operate said eanstop an-(ire lease means. i 1

2. Arnachine as set forth in claim l and in which the means for adjusting the vertical-posh tion o-f the plate supporting lower elements of said telescopicmeasuring and delivery tubes comprise; vertical guide'elements slidably engaging with parts of said hopper; vertical racks securedto the plate; a shaft supported from saidh'opper; gears mounted on said shaft and engaging said racks; means for manually rotating said shaft;

and means effective to lock the shaft in adjusted position.

3. A packaging machine for granular-material as set forth in claim 1 and in addition compris-I ingra basemembertowhich-the hopper is secured; a frame membersecured to said 'basean-d slotted to receive said first plate valve; rods secured to the-frontand back of said plate valveand extending in the direction of the travel of said valve and sli-dable inbores in said frame; a-membersecured to andbelow the vertically adjustable plate; and rods secured to the front and back of saidsecond plate valve and extending in the-di-- rectlon of travel of said valve and slidable in bores insaid membersecured to the vertically adiu ta le l 4. Apackaging machine as set forth in claim 1 and in which the means for operating the lower plate valve include a yoke connected to said valve;

a rod'extending verticallyin said yoke; asleeve slidably mounted onsaid-rcd; a rod connected to said sleeve at one end; a vertical shaft; an arm mounted-0n said shaft and oscillated by said secondand fourth cams; and pivotally connected to said rock-whereby the operation of the lower-plate valve is effected regardless of the vertical adjust ment of the adjustable plate.

5. A packaging machine as set forth in claim'l' and in which the can stop and release means comprise-the cams operating the plate; a pivoted arm intermittentlyrockedby said can stop and release cam, and connected to said can stop and release means; and resilient means effective to return said arm to initial position.

-6. A packagingmachine as set forth in -claim'-5, and in which the can stop and release means also comprise a pair of movable carrier members; guides for said carriermembers arranged-to position them over"th e conveyor; a'fcam shaft sup' ported. vertically inthe frame of themachine; a cam mountedon the lower end of said shaft in position toforcethe carrier-members apar-twhen thecam isroc'ked; resilient means urging the car riers towa'rd one a another; anoperative connec tion betweensaid shaft and the pivoted arm whereby movement of said arm i tr-ansmitt ed' in one directionto said shaft, and stop plates mounted on said carrier members to project downwardly into position to arrest the cans when the carrier members are in inward position and to be moved out of the path of the cans when the carrier members are moved outwardly from one another by the partial rotation of said cam.

'7. A packaging machine as set forth in claim and in which the can stop and release means also comprise a pair of movable carrier members; guides for said carrier members arranged to position them over the conveyor; a cam shaft supported vertically in the frame of the machine; a cam mounted on the lower end of said shaft in position to force the carrier members apart when the cam is rocked; resilient means urging the carriers toward one another; a chain sprocket secured on the cam shaft; a segment of a chain wheel carried on the free end of the pivoted arm; a length of drive chain secured to said chain sprocket to extend therearound at one end and secured at its other end to extend around the segmental chain wheel on the pivoted arm; a crank arm secured to the cam shaft and a pivoted lever mounted on the frame of the machine in position to be engaged by the end of the crank arm toward the end of the operative movement of the latter; a spring resisting movement of said lever and thereby initiating return movement of said crank; and a stop effective to hold the pivoted arm in position to be engaged by its operating cam.

8. A packaging machine including: a stationary hopper having a bottom formed with a plurality of spaced openings; downwardly extending telescopic measuring and delivery tubes, each having one element secured in alignment with one of said openings; a vertically adjustable plate mounted below said hopper and supporting lower elements of said telescopic delivery tubes; means for adjusting the vertical position of said plate; plate valves mounted above the upper ends of said tubes and below the spaced openings in the bottom of the hopper and a second plate valve mounted below the lower ends of the measuring tube elements carried by said adjustable plate; a

pair of parallel shafts rotated at the same speed;

a first cam secured on one shaft and arranged in the same plane as a second cam secured on the other shaft; an operating lever shaft; a first operating lever pivoted on said shaft and having one end arranged in the plane of said first and second cams in position to be moved in one direction by the first cam and returned in the opposite direction by the second cam; a link connecting the opposite end of the lever to one of the slide plate valves; a third cam mounted on the same shaft as the first cam but spaced therefrom; a fourth cam mounted on the same shaft as the second cam and in the same plane as the third cam; a second operating lever pivoted on the operating lever shaft with one end in position to be engaged and moved in one direction by the third cam and in the opposite direction by the fourth cam; a link connecting the other end of the second operating lever to the second plate valve, said cam means being arranged so that the upper valve is moved to open and then to shut position before the lower valve is opened and does not again operate the upper plate valve until the lower plate valve has been closed; a continuously moving conveyor belt carrying empty cans into position to be filled; can stop means holding said cans stationary at the filling position during the can filling operation and releasing them to be transported out of said position when filled, a can stop and release cam secured on one of said parallel 10 shafts; and can stop and release means operated by said latter cam.

9. In a packaging machine for granular material having a stationary hopper fitted with a bottom formed with a plurality of openings therethrough; a stationary horizontal plate spaced below said bottom, the plate having openings therethrough aligned with the openings in the bottom of the hopper, and grooves in the upper surface of the plate between the openings; a plate valve having openings therein alignable at times with the openings in the hopper bottom and positioned in the space between the bottom of the hopper and said plate and fitting closely in said space, the grooves in the upper surface of the stationary plate extending in the direction of movement of the plate valve, and between the edge of the opening and the edge of the plate on the side of the plate over which the outermost aperture in the plate valve is located when in closed position, and groove filling pieces secured to the underside of the plate valve arranged to scrape any material, working between the lower face of the valve and the upper face of the plate and into the grooves, into the openings when the plate valve is moved to open position, said filler strips aligning with the edge of said openings in the plate in the open position of the valve; downwardly extending telescopic measuring and delivery tubes, each having one element secured in alignment with one of the openings in the hopper bottom; a vertically adjustable plate mounted below said hopper and supporting lower elements of said telescopic delivery tubes; means for adjusting the vertical position of said plate; a second plate valve mounted below the lower ends of the measuring tube elements carried by said adjustable plate; a pair of parallel shafts rotated at the same speed; a first cam secured on one shaft and arranged in the same plane as a second cam secured on the other shaft; an operating lever shaft; a third cam mounted on the same shaft as the first cam but spaced therefrom; a fourth cam mounted on the same shaft as the second cam and in the same plane as the third cam; a rigid member moved back and forth by said first and second cams and connected to the first plate valve means, and a rigid member moved back and forth by said third and fourth cams and connected to the second plate valve; said cam means being arranged so that the upper valve is moved to open and then to shut position before the lower valve is opened and does not again operate the upper plate valve until the lower plate valve has been closed; a conveyor belt effective to carry empty cans into position to be filled; can stop means effective to hold said cans stationary at filling position during the can filling operation and to release them to be transported out of said position when filled; a can stop and release cam secured on one of said parallel shafts and means actuated by said latter cam to operate said can stop and release means.

THEODORE RAPP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

